Platycodon plant named ‘Raonjena’

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Platycodon grandiflorum  named ‘Raonjena’ with green petals.

STATEMENT REGARDING SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This study was supported by Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture, Forestry (IPET) through Export Promotion Technology Development Program, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) (grant number 116121-03-2-HD030).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Platycodon grandiflorum named ‘Raonjena’. The ‘Raonjena’ is a Platycodon grandiflorum with green flowers. Platycodon grandiflorum with green flowers due to mutation was found during superior species breeding tests of Platycodon grandiflorum with violet flowers, Platycodon grandiflorum with white flowers, and Platycodon grandiflorum with pink flowers. The ‘Raonjena’ is sterile, which means that the ‘Raonjena’ does not form seeds. Plant bodies of the Platycodon grandiflorum obtained by in vitro culture through vitro cutting (vegetative propagation) may be mass-propagated. The mass-propagated Platycodon grandiflorum may be ex vitro acclimatized to produce the ‘Raonjena’.

BACKGROUND

Platycodon grandiflorum is an important traditional medicinal plant found in North East Asia (including China, Japan, and Korea.). The extract and some of the major components of Platycodon grandiflorum, such as platycodin D (PD) and platycodin D3, have been found to have diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory activity (Ashok et al., 1999; Finkel et al., 2000), anti-allergy activity (Halliwell et al., 2006), the ability to augment immune responses (Halliwell et al., 2007), the ability to stimulate apoptosis in skin cells (Tiwari et al., 2001), antiobesity and hyperlipidemia effects (Han et al., 2002; Zhao et al., 2008), and a protective effect against oxidative hepatotoxicity (Evans et al., 2001). In addition, the pharmacological properties of Platycodon grandiflorum are mainly due to the presence of saponins called platycodin that that may act individually, additively, or in synergy to improve human health (Choi et al., 2010). Plant cell or organ cultures are the attractive source to whole plant for the production of high-value secondary metabolites (Rao & Ravishankar, 2002).

SUMMARY

One stock of Platycodon grandiflorum mutation with green flowers was found during mating tests of Platycodon grandiflorum with violet flowers, Platycodon grandiflorum with white flowers, and Platycodon grandiflorum with pink flowers for superior species breeding at Woosong College (171, Dongdaejeon-ro, Dong-gu, Daejeon, Korea). The found Platycodon grandiflorum with green flowers was identified to be sterile. Thus, vitro cutting by tissue culture was carried out to obtain plantlets. The plantlets were maintained and propagated in vitro. The in vitro propagated plant bodies of the Platycodon grandiflorum with green flowers were acclimatized and then cultivated in an experimental field in Ogeunjang-dong, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea.

The Platycodon grandiflorum with green flowers improved through such process was named ‘Raonjena’, representative plantlet there of was deposited to and accepted by the Korean Collection for Type Cultures (KCTC) under the Budapest Treaty, and received a deposit number of KCTC14018BP on Nov. 11, 2019.

The ‘Raonjena’ is sterile. Further, the ‘Raonjena’ may be produced by mass-propagating plant bodies of the Platycodon grandiflorum obtained by in vitro culture through vitro cutting (vegetative propagation) and ex vitro acclimatizing the mass-propagated Platycodon grandiflorum.

First, a stem fragment of the ‘Raonjena’ was sterilized and washed using 70% alcohol and 1% NaOCl. Then, the plant body obtained by culturing the stem with nodes in ½ MS medium was used as a propagation material. The stem fragment of the ‘Raonjena’ was added to medium composition containing sucrose 5% (w/v); agar 0.6% (w/v); IBA (3-indole butyric acid) 0.0001% (w/v); and ¼ MS (Murashige & Skoog Medium) culture medium remaining quantity, and then pH of the addition was adjusted to 3.8 to 5.8. Then, the addition was cultured for 4 to 6 weeks by irradiating a LED light source for 12 to 24 hours at a temperature of 20 to 30° C.

The cultured ‘Raonjena’ plant body was washed using running water to remove the medium, then immersed in a disinfectant for several seconds, and then washed using water. Then, the ‘Raonjena’ plant body was transplanted into bed soil for horticulture, and then grown under conditions of 16 hours lighting and 70% humidity with light of 20 to 25° C. and 40 μmol·m⁻²·s¹.

Gene analysis was performed to compare the ‘Raonjena’ with wild-type Platycodon grandiflorum. RNA de novo sequencing was performed by extracting total RNAs of the ‘Raonjena’ and the wild-type Platycodon grandiflorum (Platycodon grandiflorum with white flowers and Platycodon grandiflorum with violet flowers). Then, unigene assembly was performed using Trinity software. The assembled unigenes were annotated using seven databases (NR, NT, Swissprot, KOG, KEGG, GO, and InterPro).

27 specific unigenes were observed in the ‘Raonjena’ through Venn diagram analysis, which are shown in Table 1. In Gene Ontology analysis, transcription, DNA-templated (GO:0006351), transport (GO:0006810), photosynthesis, light reaction (GO:0019684), ATP synthesis coupled proton transport (GO:0015986), sterol biosynthetic process (GO:0016126), isopentenyl diphosphate biosynthetic process, mevalonate pathway (GO:0019287), mRNA processing (GO:0006397), translation (GO:0006412), reductive pentose-phosphate cycle (GO:0019253), photorespiration (GO:0009853) of the ‘Raonjena’ were activated more than the wild-type Platycodon grandiflorum (Platycodon grandiflorum with white flowers and Platycodon grandiflorum with violet flowers), and such analysis result is shown in Table 2.

TABLE 1 gene ID Nr Nt CL3906.Contig4_All YP_009414761.1/5.4e−149/RNA ″KX352464.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 1) polymerase alpha subunit Platycodon grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >ARR27766.1 RNA genome″ polymerase alpha subunit (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] CL3906.Contig6_All YP_009414761.1/5.2e−149/RNA ″KX352464.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 2) polymerase alpha subunit Platycodon grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >ARR27766.1 RNA genome″ polymerase alpha subunit (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] CL3906.Contig5_All YP_009414761.1/5.3e−149/RNA ″KX352464.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 3) polymerase alpha subunit Platycodon grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >ARR27766.1 RNA genome″ polymerase alpha subunit (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] Unigene21208_All YP_009414747.1/1.4e−180/RNA ″KX352464.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 4) polymerase beta″subunit Platycodon grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >ARR27752.1 RNA genome″ polymerase beta″subunit (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] Unigene24626_All YP_009414743.1/9.1e−126/NADH ″KX352464.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 5) dehydrogenase subunit K Platycodon grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >ARR27748.1 NADH genome″ dehydrogenase subunit K (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] Unigene3183_All YP_009414752.1/1.0e−79/ATP ″KX352464.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 6) synthase CF1 alpha subunit Platycodon grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >ARR27757.1 ATP genome″ synthase CF1 alpha subunit (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] CL11954.Contig2_All AGZ15315.1/3.5e−215/mevalonate ″KC439364.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 7) kinase [Platycodon grandiflorus] Platycodon grandiflorus mevalonate kinase (MK) mRNA, complete cds″ Unigene202_All ″AFR67330.1/9.8e−118/flavonoid- ″JQ403611.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 8) 3′,5′-hydroxylase [Platycodon Platycodon grandiflorus grandiflorus]″ flavonoid- 3&apos;,5&apos,- hydroxylase mRNA, complete cds″ Unigene12268_All ARR27546.1/2.8e−214/maturase ″KX063855.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 9) (mitochondrion) [Platycodon Diplostephium hartwegii voucher grandiflorus] TEX:Vargas 456 mitochondrion, complete genome″ Unigene15281_All ARR27546.1/3.9e−152/maturase ″KX063855.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 10) (mitochondrion) [Platycodon Diplostephium hartwegii voucher grandiflorus] TEX:Vargas 456 mitochondrion, complete genome″ CL7827.Contigl_All ARR27572.1/protein S3 ″KX063855.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 11) (mitochondrion) [Platycodon Diplostephium hartwegii voucher grandiflorus] TEX:Vargas 456 mitochondrion, complete genome″ CL2802.Contig3_All YP_009414724.1/1.5e−67/ ″KX352464.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 12) ribosomal protein S18 Platycodon grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >ARR27729.1 genome″ ribosomal protein S18 (chloroplast) Platycodon grandiflorus] CL10003.Contig2_All YP_009414775.1/0.0e+00/hypothetical ″KX352464.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 13) chloroplast RF1 (chloroplast) Platycodon grandiflorus [Platycodon grandiflorus] chloroplast, complete >YP 009414792.1 hypothetical genome″ chloroplast RF1 (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] >ARR27780.1 hypothetical chloroplast RF1 (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] >ARR2778 Unigene25048_All ″YP_009414741.1/8.3e−288/ ″KX352464.1/0.0/ (SEQ ID NO. 14) ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Platycodon grandiflorus carboxylase/oxygenase large chloroplast, complete subunit (chloroplast) [Platycodon genome″ grandiflorus] >ARR27746.1 ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus]″ Unigene1329_All ARR27564.1/1.9e−48/NADH ″AK328194.1/0.0/Solanum (SEQ ID NO. 15) dehydrogenase subunit 4 lycopersicum cDNA, (mitochondrion) [Platycodon clone: LEFL2049D10, grandiflorus] HTC in fruit″ Unigene17427_All YP_009414771.1/4.9e−191/ ″KX352464.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 16) hypothetical chloroplast RF2 grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >YP_009414796.1 genome″ hypothetical chloroplast RF2 (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] >ARR27774.1 hypothetical chloroplast RF2 (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflor CL10003.Contigl_All YP_009414775.1/0.0e+00/hypothetical ″KX352464.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO.17) chloroplast RF1 (chloroplast) grandiflorus [Platycodon grandiflorus] chloroplast, complete >YP_009414792.1 hypothetical genome″ chloroplast RF1 (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] >ARR27780.1 hypothetical chloroplast RF1 (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] >ARR2778 Unigene90772_All YP_009414771.1/9.5e−262/ ″KX352464.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 18) hypothetical chloroplast RF2 grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >YP_009414796.1 genome″ hypothetical chloroplast RF2 (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] >ARR27774.1 hypothetical chloroplast RF2 (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflor Unigene201_All ″AFR67330.1/1.4e−309/flavonoid- ″JQ403611.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 19) 3′,5′-hydroxylase [Platycodon grandiflorus flavonoid- grandiflorus]″ 3&apos;,5&apos;- hydroxylase mRNA, complete cds″ CL2802.Contig2_All YP_009414724.1/1.0e−67/ ″KX352464.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 20) ribosomal protein S18 grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >ARR27729.1 genome″ ribosomal protein S18 (chloroplast) Platycodon grandiflorus] Unigene11152_All YP_009414771.1/1.7e−61/ ″KX352464.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 21) hypothetical chloroplast RF2 grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >YP_009414796.1 genome″ hypothetical chloroplast RF2 (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] >ARR27774.1 hypothetical chloroplast RF2 (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandifloru CL10780.Contig2_All YP_009414711.1/1.6e−247/ ″KX352464.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 22) maturase K (chloroplast) grandiflorus [Platycodon grandiflorus] chloroplast, complete >ARR27719.1 maturase K genome″ (chloroplast) [Platycodon grandiflorus] Unigene51089_All YP_009414782.1/5.9e−29/ ″KX352464.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 23) ribosomal protein L32 grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus] >ARR27779.1 genome″ ribosomal protein L32 (chloroplast) Platycodon grandiflorus] CL1361.Contig13_All BAX04010.1/2.4e−196/cytochrome ″LC209202.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 24) P450 72A554 [Platycodon grandiflorus grandiflorus] CYP72A554 mRNA for cytochrome P450 72A554, complete cds″ CL12047.Contig3_All ″ACC54453.1/8.6e−274/ATP ″KX352464.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 25) synthase beta subunit, partial grandiflorus (chloroplast) [Platycodon chloroplast, complete grandiflorus]″ genome″ CL1361.Contig15_All BAX04010.1/3.8e−140/cytochrome ″LC209202.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 26) P450 72A554 [Platycodon grandiflorus grandiflorus] CYP72A554 mRNA for cytochrome P450 72A554, complete cds″ CL2976.Contig3_All AML77394.1/1.6e−227/putative ″KU699442.1/0.0/Platycodon (SEQ ID NO. 27) LOV domain-containing protein grandiflorus isolate [Platycodon grandiflorus] IHPC 2012886 putative LOV domain-containing protein mRNA, complete cds″

TABLE 2 gene ID Gene Ontology CL3906.Contig4_All biological_process:GO:0006351//transcription, DNA-templated; cellular_component: GO:0009507//chloroplast; molecular_function: GO:0003899//DNA-directed 5′-3′ RNA polymerase activity; GO:0003677//DNA binding; GO:0046983//protein dimerization activity; CL3906.Contig6_All biological_process: GO:0006351//transcription, DNA-templated; cellular_component: GO:0009507//chloroplast; molecular_function: GO:0003899//DNA-directed 5′-3′ RNA polymerase activity; GO:0003677//DNA binding; GO:0046983//protein dimerization activity; CL3906.Contig5_All biological_process: GO:0006351//transcription, DNA-templated; cellular_component: GO:0009507//c hloroplast; molecular_function: GO:0003899//DNA-directed 5′-3′ RNA polymerase activity; GO:0003677//DNA binding; GO:0046983//protein dimerization activity; Unigene21208_All biological_process:GO:0006351//transcription, DNA-templated; cellular_component:GO:0009536//plastid;GO:0009507//chloroplast; molecular_function:GO:0003899//DNA-directed 5′-3 RNA polymerase activity;GO:0003677//DNA binding; Unigene24626_All biological_process:GO:0006810//transport;GO:0019684//photosynthesis, light reaction; cellular_component:GO:0009535//chloroplast thylakoid membrane;GO:0016021//integral component of membrane; molecular_function:GO:0005506//iron ion binding;GO:0051539//4 iron, 4 sulfur cluster binding;GO:0048038//quinone binding;GO:0008137//NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) activity; Unigene3183_All biological_process:GO:0015986//ATP synthesis coupled proton transport; cellular_component:GO:0045261//proton-transporting ATP synthase complex, catalytic core F(1);GO:0009536//plastid;GO:0005886//plasma membrane;molecular_function:GO:0005524//ATP binding;GO:0046933//proton-transporting ATP synthase activity, rotational mechanism; CL11954.Contig2_All biological_process:GO:0016126//sterol biosynthetic process;GO:0019287//isopentenyl diphosphate biosynthetic process, mevalonate pathway; cellular_component:GO:0005737//cytoplasm; molecular_function:GO:0005524//ATP binding;GO:0004496//mevalonate kinase activity; Unigene202_All cellular_component:GO:0016021//integral component of membrane; molecular_function:GO:0016705//oxidoreductase activity, acting on paired donors, with incorporation or reduction of molecular oxygen;GO:0020037//heme binding;GO:0005506//iron ion binding;GO:0004497//monooxygenase activity; Unigene12268_All biological_process:GO:0006397//mRNA processing; cellular_component:GO:0005739//mitochondrion; Unigene15281_All biological_process:GO:0006397//mRNA processing; cellular_component:GO:0005739//mitochondrion; CL7827.Contig1_All biological_process:GO:0006412//translation; cellular_component:GO:0005840//ribosome;GO:0005739//mitochondrion; molecular_function:GO:0003723//RNA binding;GO:0003735//structural constituent of ribosome; CL2802.Contig3_All biological_process:GO:0006412//translation; cellular_component:GO:0005840//ribosome;GO:0009536//plastid;molecular function:GO:0003735//structural constituent of ribosome; CL10003.Contig2_All biological_process:GO:0006810//transport; cellular_component:GO:0016021//integral component of membrane;GO:0009536//plastid;GO:0005886//plasma membrane; molecular_function:GO:0050136//NADH dehydrogenase (quinone) activity;GO:0048038//quinone binding;GO:0051287//NAD binding; Unigene25048_All biological_process:GO:0019253//reductive pentose-phosphate cycle;GO:0009853//photorespiration; cellular_component: GO:0009507//chloroplast; molecular_function: GO:00002 87//magnesium ion binding;GO:0004497//monooxygenase activity;GO:0016984//ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase activity; Unigene1329_All biological_process:GO:0042773//ATP synthesis coupled electron transport; cellular_component:GO:0016021//integral component of membrane;GO:0005739//mitochondrion;molecular_function:GO:000813711N ADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) activity; Unigene17427_All cellular_component:GO:0009570//chloroplast stroma; molecular_function:GO:0005524//ATP binding; CL10003.Contig1_All cellular_component:GO:0016021//integral component of membrane;GO:0009536//plastid; Unigene90772_All cellular_component: GO:0016021//integral component of membrane ;GO:0009570l/chloroplast stroma; molecular_function: GO:0005524//ATP binding; Unigene201_All NA CL2802.Contig2_All NA Unigene11152_All NA CL10780.Contig2_All NA Unigene51089_All NA CL1361.Contig13_All NA CL12047.Contig3_All NA CL1361.Contig15_All NA CL2976.Contig3_All NA NA: Not detected

The ‘Raonjena’ contains pharmacological components such as saponin, platicodine, and the like. The pharmacological components contained are compared with the wild-type Platycodon grandiflorum, and the comparison result is shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3 Platycodon grandiflorum with violet flower ‘Raonjena’ Deapioplatycodin D 0.8 mg/g 1.1 mg/g Deapioplatycodin D3 0.5 mg/g 0.8 mg/g Platycoside B 1.72 mg/g 1.9 mg/g

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

The accompanying color photographs depict characteristics of the new ‘Raonjena’ plants as nearly true as possible to make color reproductions. The overall appearance of the ‘Raonjena’ plants in the photographs is shown in colors that may differ slightly from the color values described in the detailed botanical description.

FIG. 1 shows ‘Raonjena’, which is cultivated by mass-propagating and ex vitro acclimatizing Platycodon grandiflorum.

FIG. 2 shows ‘Raonjena’ with bloomed flower.

FIG. 3 shows green flowers of ‘Raonjena’ grown outdoors.

FIG. 4 shows green flowers of ‘Raonjena’ grown indoors.

FIG. 5 is a front view of green flowers of ‘Raonjena’ grown indoors.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawing, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar of ‘Raonjena’.

The plant:

Type (life form and habit).—Perennial root herb.

Classification.—Denomination.—Raonjena

Species.—Platycodon grandiflorum.

Origin, form, and growth characteristics:

Origin.—Mutation that occurred during the mating of the Platycodon grandiflorum with violet flowers, the Platycodon grandiflorum with white flowers, and the Platycodon grandiflorum with pink flowers.

Propagation.—The Raonjena is sterile, and cultivated by ex vitro acclimatizing the Platycodon grandiflorum, which is obtained by in vitro mass-propagating the plant body, which is in vitro cultured through the vitro cutting (vegerative propagation).

Mature habit.—The Raonjena is the perennial root herb, which grows about 30 to 80 cm tall. Roots thereof are thick, and stems thereof grow straight. When the Raonjena is cut, white juice comes out. The stems are mostly green. Further, middle and lower portions of the node and the stem may be colored purple.

Foliage: Leaves.

Arrangement.—Alternate.

Form.—Single, oval, or long egg-shaped leaf

Leaf (without petiole).—4-7 cm long; 1.5-2.5 cm wide.

Margins.—Serrated leaf (leaf margins have serrations and pointed ends—Serrated margins, tapering to an acuminate apex).

Color.—Upper side—Green, Pantone 356

Color.—Under side—Light green, Pantone 363

Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.

Other leaves characteristics.—Lower leaves are opposite, but upper leaves are alternated or three leaves are verticillated.

Stem: The stem is upright, has no hair, has a diameter of 3 to 4 mm. White latex comes out when the stem is cut. The number of side branches of the stem is 10 to 13.

Color.—Green, Pantone 370

Height.—30-80 cm.

Flowers: Flowers bloom in July to August and bloom for 4 to 6 weeks. The flowers bloom upwards and have a bell shape in which ends thereof spread. The flower has a diameter of 4 to 5 cm, and the end thereof is split into 5 pieces. A calyx is split into 5 pieces, and a lobe is 0.5 to 5 mm long and is triangular lanceolate. A corolla has a bell shape in which ends thereof spread. The corolla has a diameter of 4 to 5 cm. The end of the corolla is split into 5 pieces, and the split end is triangular. The number of stamens is 5, and the number of pistils is 1. An ovary has five loculi, and a stigma is split into five pieces. A filament is 0.6 to 0.8 cm, inflorescence is a raceme, and the flower is hermaphrodite flower.

Petals: A petal blooms upwards and has a bell shape in which ends thereof spread. The petal has a diameter of 4 to 5 cm. Further, the end of the petal is split into 5 pieces. A color of the petal is light green (Pantone 360) or green (Pantone 361).

Sepals: A sepal is split into 5 pieces. The lobe is 0.5 to 5 mm long and is triangular lanceolate.

Roots: A root is columnar and thick. Further, white latex comes out when the stem is cut. The root is a succulent tuberous root with light brown color (Pantone 1365).

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Platycodon plant named ‘Raonjena’, as shown and described, representative plantlet thereof was deposited under accession number KCTC 14018BP. 